Spring Awakening Actress Lea Michele Joins PETA Campaign

Lea Michele has been added to the growing list of artists who have joined PETA's campaign to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City. The 21-year-old co-star of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Spring Awakeningappears in a brand new PETA ad campaign titled, "Buck Cruelty! Say No to Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides," which debuts this spring (see attached).

"These horses are forced to work long hours in extreme weather conditions, all while walking on hard pavement and inhaling exhaust fumes," says Michele. "As a New Yorker, I know how tough it can be to navigate the city streets, and that's on two feet! When I see the horses attached to carriages and made to pull heavy loads in traffic, it makes me sad and angry. I want tourists to know that long after their rides are up, these horses' miserable lives continue, day in and day out."

Michele's support of the PETA campaign follows the January launch of pop star Pink's three-story PETA billboard in Times Square, which urges tourists to boycott horse-drawn carriages. Rock icon Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders recently raised her voice for horses too. She led a PETA protest at Central Park to draw attention to the cruelty of the horse-drawn carriage industry.

Because the inhumane and dangerous conditions inherent to the horse-drawn carriage industry cannot be corrected, PETA and Michele encourage New Yorkers to support New York City Council Member Tony Avella's bill to ban horse-drawn carriages, which is currently being considered by the City Council.